Chapter 34
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 34
Chapter Title: Your Name. Now. Geum Chunsik. (3)
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Looking up at the sky, I swear.
There wasn't a shred of ulterior motive.
It was purely, strictly for academic purposes.
I was just a tiny bit—a very tiny bit—curious about the meaning of the inscription carved into Luri's back, so I peered in a little closer.
And only for a moment.
A very brief moment.
Compared to the long flow of ages, it was merely a fleeting instant.
Not even enough time to properly swing a single form.
But at the very tail end of that split second.
A change came over Luri's posture as she sat there motionless, facing away.
The Wolf's Backward Glance.
Like a wolf that, body facing forward, can see behind it just by turning its head.
Luri's head turned lightly toward me.
The instant her blazing red eyes met mine.
"……!"
Only then did I realize how my scholarly curiosity might look to the eyes of the world, and I hastily pulled back.
However.
It seemed too late.
Thanks to the Northern Bright Divine Art, perhaps.
I could clearly sense the energy condensing beyond the wall.
Kwaaaang—!
The sound of delivering the finishing blow to a half-baked property damage charge boomed out.
Now the true culprit was Luri…….
No.
No time to quibble over that.
As dirt, stone fragments, and a pitifully crumpled steel plate scattered everywhere.
"Stop! No violence! Oppose violence!"
I chanted the magic spell to ward off school violence from the Law-Enforcing Girl and flung myself flat on the floor.
Almost simultaneously, a sharp sword qi sliced chillingly past where my neck had just been.
As the saying goes, a man must wield his waist with flexibility.
The great Yoga Lord who satisfied the vast dominator of the Central Plains solely with waist play and headbanging performances.
Imitating King Injo's posture, I pressed my body as flat to the ground as possible.
"……Geum Sihyeon?"
Fortunately, before the finishing blow could land on my prone body.
Luri's voice flowed into my ears—icy cold as if frozen, with just the tiniest droplet of bewilderment mixed in.
"I-I was practicing my martial arts and messed up controlling my power, accidentally smashing the wall, and I was worried if anyone got hurt because of it, no other intentions, so I peeked in—"
I swallowed excuses stitched together from plain facts.
To gauge her mood, I subtly lifted my head.
Snow-white feet.
Snow-white calves.
Snow-white thighs…….
"Hey! Clothes, clothes!"
I freaked out, slammed my head back down, and frantically wriggled out of my robe.
No.
Even if it was a driver-type body with nothing to see front or back.
You don't just bare it defenselessly in front of a strange man.
Eyes squeezed shut, relying purely on my senses, I aimed at Luri—washboard abs, Autobahn or whatever—and tossed the robe I'd stripped off.
Whirrik!
My pinpoint control, sharp enough to start as an ace pitcher in the majors right away, shone through.
Only then did I catch my breath and raise my head.
Cheon Luri stood frozen, draped in my robe like the classic image of a ghost.
No way.
She wasn't thinking of carving the character for "demon" right into my forehead, turning me into a Heavenly Demon Divine Cult slave for unspeakable deeds, was she?
Can't see her eyes, so who knows.
It's my robe, so she can't even tear holes in it.
"Anyway! That wasn't my intention! Don't misunderstand…… It's just that the righteous sects are so poor they skimped steel plate from the training hall construction, oh man, those trash righteous sect bastards—no, poverty isn't a crime……."
My Clear Mirror Still Water heart churned with fierce storms, spewing utter nonsense from my mouth.
Fortunately, Cheon Luri silently listened to my ramblings.
Only then could I let out a sigh of relief.
"……You get it, right?"
The part where Luri's head should be shook ever so faintly.
"Th-then. I'll head out, so finish your training well. I won't come near for a while, uh, see you."
Who cares about that robe.
If it meant escaping this situation, even a thousand gold wouldn't be too much.
I boldly abandoned my beloved robe #13 and slipped out of the training hall.
"Huuuuu……."
A deep, intense sigh welled up from the depths of my dantian.
Healing.
I need healing.
The joy of my life.
The source of my energy.
The single ray of light in the grueling martial arts training.
I pulled out my smartphone…….
Pulled out……?
"Uh……?"
Gone?
A ominous premonition crashed over me like a cosmic wave; I frantically patted myself down, but half my life was nowhere to be found.
…….
Ah…….
It must be in the pocket of beloved robe #13…….
Photos stored in my smartphone gallery flashed before my eyes like a panorama.
Lightness skill was forbidden inside the academy.
Bracing for penalty points, I bolted back toward the training hall like mad.
After Geum Sihyeon left, Cheon Luri stood blankly in place for a long while.
Before leaving the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.
Her mother had given her many warnings.
One of them.
Never let anyone see her practicing.
Anyone without resistance to demons would lose their mind just from glimpsing the incantation carved into her back, ultimately becoming possessed.
Even if someone endured it, if even a speck of bewitchment showed in their heart, they were to be executed without question.
Thus, even at Hundred Flowers Academy, they'd set up her spot in the deepest of the private training halls.
However.
The owner of this robe—
Geum Sihyeon had clearly seen her circulating her qi.
He'd gazed upon the incantation where the source of demonic power dwelled.
He'd resonated with the thick demonic qi filling the air during her practice.
And even when she'd approached close.
He was a bit more foolish-seeming than usual, but he'd clearly kept his sanity.
"How?"
A single drop of doubt mixed into her emotionless voice echoed softly in the now-empty training hall.
Indeed.
Geum Sihyeon was different from others.
The Cult Leader and Vice Leader of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult learned not only the Heavenly Demon Divine Art, but also the Heart-Moon Ultimate Observation Art.
The eyes are a lake reflecting the heart.
The face reflected in eyes gazing upon her was the shadow of the moon floating on that lake.
After mastering the Heart-Moon Ultimate Observation Art.
Luri could peer into someone's feelings toward her just by looking into their eyes.
Because of that.
From childhood, Luri had glimpsed countless people's emotions.
Anxiety, fear, jealousy, hatred, worry, nervousness, emptiness.
……And even lust.
She'd realized far too early that not everyone could love her.
And that love could sometimes be utterly horrific.
Each time she confronted those negative emotions head-on, her heart wore down bit by bit.
At least in the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, things were better.
She had her mother to confide in when it got tough.
And anyone who dared lecherous glances lost their heads.
But after coming to Hundred Flowers Academy.
Luri felt those past nightmares knocking insistently on her chest again.
Negative emotions hidden behind fake smiles, stabbing like needles every time their eyes met.
At least sharing a room with Myo Narang, who was kindness itself, made it bearable.
……Though sometimes annoying.
And.
Paradoxically, she found a thread of comfort watching certain gallery folks who bristled at everything—not just her, but the whole world.
At least it wasn't just her being hated.
And…….
Geum Sihyeon.
In that man's eyes.
A rainbow swirl of too many emotions churned, hard even to read.
Affection, joy, pity, sympathy, kindness.
Occasional bursts of honest competitiveness.
Even on first meetings.
His gaze felt like he'd understood Cheon Luri—her—deeply for ages.
That's why she kept looking back each time.
……Her worn heart seemed to heal, ever so slightly.
Sniff sniff.
Unconsciously, Luri inhaled the scent lingering on the robe still draped over her.
A soft fragrance and faint body odor remained.
And, suddenly.
"Mm……."
For some reason, it felt oddly good—and a bit disappointing—that not a speck of lust had shown in Geum Sihyeon's eyes peeking through the robe earlier.
Tung!
A strange thud rang in Luri's ears as she flung the robe to the floor.
In the terror and despair of losing half my world, I'd paced around the training hall for what felt like eons.
"!"
Finally, I spotted Cheon Luri emerging from the main entrance.
Too many eyes to call out loudly.
So I hid between buildings, bouncing around ridiculously to catch her attention.
Fortunately, her gaze soon fixed on me.
Waiting in the alley.
"……."
Cheon Luri appeared, staring at me intently with her usual sullen expression and strangely glowing red eyes.
"Uh, by any chance, my clothes……."
"Gone."
Then what the hell was that familiar beloved robe #13 wrapped around your waist, trailing down to your calves?
Did she sense my stare?
"Took it. Mine now."
She spouted nonsense calmly, face unchanging.
The Demonic Cult.
Are they really that poor……?
Whatever.
I could donate a robe or two happily.
"Uh, by any chance, my smartphone……."
"Ah."
Cheon Luri boldly pulled my smartphone from the pocket of beloved robe #13.
I reached out to take it.
Swish.
"?"
Swish.
"……Give?"
Like toying with a cat, Luri deftly dodged my grabs, whisking my smartphone away nimbly.
I lunged a few times, playing along.
But feeling the bone-deep gap between early Peak and mid Peak, I raised the white flag.
"……Please return it……."
Sob sob.
How could a grown man end up in such a pathetic state?
Just for peeking into a hole, enduring this humiliation?
Only at my surrender did the corner of Luri's mouth twitch ever so slightly.
That expression again.
The "Hmph, I win~" smug look.
I wanted to grab her cheeks and yank them wide for a proper lesson……!
But as a survivor sage from a land of presumed guilt passives.
I couldn't bring myself to actions that might add grudge penalties to my sentence.
As I pondered kneeling.
"You. Serve. Me."
"Pardon?"
"Don't want?"
"Pardon?"
"Smash?"
"I'll do anything!"
The moment I saw inner energy ripple in Luri's hand gripping my smartphone, I surrendered instantly.
What kind of family education did they give in the Demonic Cult to produce such spoiled behavior……?
Blood tears seemed imminent.
Only then did Luri up her smile by 1mm, expressing satisfaction, and returned my half-life, my light, my world smartphone.
"Contact."
And with that, she strode off triumphantly, still wrapped in my beloved robe #13.
Kuhuk.
I'll repay this grudge someday.
Chewing on the humiliation, I turned toward the dorms.
Right after unlocking my smartphone to properly savor my recovered world.
"Hwaaak……!"
Since spotting Teacher Chicken's ID.
I felt terror and despair rivaling Cthulhu's return once more.
In my contacts.
A new entry had appeared, absent just this morning.
Named simply "Luri."